Dataset Information

Trends in self-poisoning and psychotropic drug use in people aged 5-19 years: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Australia.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To characterise trends in self-poisoning and psychotropic medicine use in young Australians.

Design

Population-based retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Calls taken by the New South Wales and Victorian Poisons Information Centres (2006-2016, accounting for 70% of Australian poisoning calls); medicine dispensings in the 10% sample of Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data (July 2012 to June 2016).

Participants

People aged 5-19 years.

Main outcome measures

Yearly trends in intentional poisoning exposure calls, substances taken in intentional poisonings, a prevalence of psychotropic use (dispensing of antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines and medicines for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)).

Results

There were 33?501 intentional poisonings in people aged 5-19 years, with an increase of 8.39% per year (95%?CI 6.08% to 10.74%, p<0.0001), with a 98% increase overall, 2006-2016. This effect was driven by increased poisonings in those born after 1997, suggesting a birth cohort effect. Females outnumbered males 3:1. Substances most commonly taken in self-poisonings were paracetamol, ibuprofen, fluoxetine, ethanol, quetiapine, paracetamol/opioid combinations, sertraline and escitalopram. Psychotropic dispensing also increased, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increasing 40% and 35% July 2012 to June 2016 in those aged 5-14 and 15-19, respectively. Fluoxetine was the most dispensed SSRI. Antipsychotics increased by 13% and 10%, while ADHD medication dispensing increased by 16% and 10%, in those aged 5-14 and 15-19, respectively. Conversely, dispensing of benzodiazepines to these age groups decreased by 4% and 5%, respectively.

Conclusions

Our results signal a generation that is increasingly engaging in self-harm and is increasingly prescribed psychotropic medications. These findings indicate growing mental distress in this cohort. Since people who self-harm are at increased risk of suicide later in life, these results may foretell future increases in suicide rates in Australia.

SUBMITTER: Cairns R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6398641 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Trends in self-poisoning and psychotropic drug use in people aged 5-19 years: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Australia.

Cairns Rose R Karanges Emily A EA Wong Anselm A Brown Jared A JA Robinson Jeff J Pearson Sallie-Anne SA Dawson Andrew H AH Buckley Nicholas A NA

BMJ open 20190220 2

<h4>Objectives</h4>To characterise trends in self-poisoning and psychotropic medicine use in young Australians.<h4>Design</h4>Population-based retrospective cohort study.<h4>Setting</h4>Calls taken by the New South Wales and Victorian Poisons Information Centres (2006-2016, accounting for 70% of Australian poisoning calls); medicine dispensings in the 10% sample of Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data (July 2012 to June 2016).<h4>Participants</h4>People aged 5-19 years.<h4>Main outcome ...[more]

PMID: 30787095

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Dataset Information

Trends in self-poisoning and psychotropic drug use in people aged 5-19 years: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Australia.

Objectives

Design

Setting

Participants

Main outcome measures

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Trends in self-poisoning and psychotropic drug use in people aged 5-19 years: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Australia.

Similar Datasets

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